


Life with Paterson

by desirayparker20



Category: Paterson (2016)
Genre: Depression, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Non-Graphic Smut, Pandemics, References to Depression, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:15:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27221071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desirayparker20/pseuds/desirayparker20
Summary: From neighbors to lovers--a friendship has evolved into a romance. Follow the life of Dorinda, Paterson, and their dog, Blondie.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	1. A Good Cry

**Author's Note:**

> This series is VERY self-indulgent and absolutely a coping mechanism for this never-ending rain shower that is my life lol. Here's to rainbows and pot of golds for all of us. // Additional Content/Trigger Warnings: Slight references to the COVID-19 pandemic/quarantine; unemployment.

**Continuation, or "spin-off" of a work I published on Tumblr, titled "I've been thinking..." ([Link](https://desiraypark.tumblr.com/post/627289972879294464/ive-been-thinking)) **\- just ignore the timing because I don't know lol. Retcon? Retcon.

* * *

When "Dorinda's Candles" first opened online, the business was slow. One Christmas season, she tossed her hat in various social media rings--threads promoting Black online businesses--and things picked up significantly. She eventually added more items to the store. When she moved to Paterson, she opened "Libra Moon"--a small brick and mortar to mixed reviews. _"Small selection - overpriced"_. They didn't understand. She wasn't like the other big store in town--she didn't have the space to sell everything under the sun...or...the moon... 

Libra Moon.

 _That_ was the key. It wasn't intended to be _just_ a name. The place needed a vibe. Libra Moon needed to be like "home". Mama's house. _No_. Your "cool aunt's" house.

Up went beaded curtains. She spared a scented soy candle or two every day to entice people. Zen playlists were swapped with the music _she'd_ grown up with--music from her generation, as well as her parents'. As soon as customers stepped through the door, they were shouting "Ayy!" to Lil' Kim, or sliding into a two-step to Anita Baker. More importantly, Dorinda started bringing Blondie in. No one could resist that sweet, golden fluff ball, and the belly she had no qualms about offering them. Suddenly, people began to see _Dorinda_ and not just the store's price tags. Soon enough, she was able to provide members of the community with homemade candles, spiritual soaps, Florida water, tarot cards, crystals, incense, and even essential oils--and of course, prices were able to come down a little.

Now, it was gone.

Just over a year into business, and three years as a resident of Paterson--it was all gone.

Dorinda knew what she needed to do, first. She called her parents and announced a possible return to Newark. Then, she invited Paterson over. 

" _I may be moving back in with my parents_ ," she'd told him.

He sat in silence, as he usually did--thinking before he spoke. "Why don't you move in with me?"

Dorinda rejected Paterson's offer--not wanting to feel like a charity case. He dropped the issue and they cuddled on the sofa and watched TV. He went home at eleven, in time for the news.

" _Why are you being like this?_ " Dorinda asked herself. Paterson practically _lived_ at her house, and she practically lived at his. She cooked for him, he cut her grass and fixed anything that was broken.

The next evening, she went to his house and asked if the offer was still on the table. It was.

That was May 2020. Now, she felt even worse. She felt like a _burden_ to Pat. 

Dorinda closed her physical store in July and online sales declined rapidly. The remote jobs were being snatched up. Even with two degrees, she didn't feel qualified for most of the jobs available. Even more, she was too scared to go back into retail or customer service--she was asthmatic. For as long as she could remember, she was _always_ the kid huffing, puffing, heaving, and wheezing because _something_ was going on with her lungs--asthma, bronchitis. Even in her misery, she still wasn't quite ready to die so willingly. 

Since moving to Paterson, the ball was _finally_ starting to roll for her. Now, everything was gone. 

She sold what she could online and kept applying for remote jobs. Her phone bill, business taxes, and website fees were all she had to take care of. Soon, her personal account fell in the negative. She didn't tell Paterson. She didn't want to. He was already doing enough.

* * *

"How's it taste?" Dorinda asked with a painted smile one October morning.  
  
"Delicious. As always."   
  
Paterson picked up his remaining slice of bacon and put it in his mouth. Dorinda stood up, took their plates, and carried them to the sink.

"Now, I need a nap," he joked. Dorinda chuckled and felt Pat's warm presence beside her. She tilted her head and let him kiss her on the cheek. 

"See you later," he said.

"See you later."

Dorinda covered the drain and squeezed soap inside the clean sink. Then, she let the hot water run. She listened to Paterson's movement.

"See ya, Blondie."

The front door closed and locked. She dropped the morning's dishes into the sink, along with the frying pans she'd used. They had a dishwasher, but she liked using the sink. It made her feel useful. 

Dorinda dried the dishes, put them away, and returned to the bedroom. Blondie's jingling collar followed her inside. Dorinda kicked off her slippers, tossed herself on the bed, and cried. 

Suddenly, the lock on the front door turned, and she heard Paterson shuffle back inside. She quickly sat up and wiped her eyes.

"Forgot my lunch!" she heard him say in a jovial tone. Before stepping into the kitchen, Paterson peeped in the bedroom and caught Dorinda's eyes. Quickly, she rose from the bed and straightened her sundress--a little something that she liked to wear around the house--and walked to her tall, blue wooden dresser (it didn't match Pat's walnut dresser, but somehow, it still meshed).

"Dorey? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said. She opened the top drawer and dug around for nothing in particular. "Your lunch is still in the fridge."

Large fingers wrapped around Dorinda's upper arms, and she melted into a puddle. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. 

"Come here," Paterson whispered, turning her around and pulling her close. "What's the matter, Honey?"

Dorinda sniffled. "My account's in the negative."

"What account?" he asked, pulling away. He tilted her head up by the chin. "What account?"

"My checking account." Dorinda looked down again.

A warm smile formed on Paterson's face. "Look."

He tilted her chin up again and stared into her eyes. "That's nothing to cry about. We'll figure it out. Okay?"

Dorinda shook her head. "I don't want to kee--"

"Honey?" Paterson interrupted, voice strong and clear.

Dorinda silenced herself and looked at his face.

"We'll figure it out." He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Okay?"

"Okay."

Paterson gave her one last kiss on the lips, grabbed his lunch from the refrigerator, and left.

And Dorinda threw herself on the bed to resume her cry. 


	2. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorinda and Paterson talk briefly about finances.

"Arf! Arf! Arf!"

"Mmm..." Dorinda groaned. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Blondie, pleeease..."

The front door's lock turned and Dorinda glanced at the clock on Paterson's nightstand. 4:38 PM. 

"Shit!" she whispered. 

The last thing she remembered was crying, tidying up the house a bit, and drinking some chamomile tea. Now, it was almost five o'clock and Paterson was about to walk in with no hot meal. She jumped off the bed and rushed into the living room, where Paterson was playing with the toy that Blondie had brought him.

"Were you a good girl today? Huh?" he asked. Blondie stood on her hind legs, awaiting her prized possession. Paterson gently tossed the stuffed squeaky toy across the living room and Blondie ran after it.

Dorinda broke their routine, walked to him, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek--just over his mask. Usually, they would say "hello" from afar, and Paterson would shower as Dorinda kept dinner warm. _Then_ , he would step into the kitchen and give her a nice, sweet kiss. 

"Hi, Honey. I'm _so_ sorry, I overslept. I'm going to start dinner right now!" 

Dorinda tried to pull away but Paterson took her by the hands. "How are you, Dorey?"

She smiled and rested her hands on Paterson's shoulders.

"I'm not all the way there, but I'm better." Dorinda pulled away. "Let's see what I can conjure up since I didn't thaw any meat out."

"We can order pizza," Paterson suggested as she walked away. She heard Blondie's muffled growls, still forcing Paterson to play with her. 

"No, I can find something," she said, opening the fridge. She scanned the contents of the cold box and felt Paterson behind her.

"We can order a pizza, Honey."

* * *

  
Blondie sat in the living room, focusing those sad puppy eyes into the kitchen as Dorinda and Paterson shared a large Meat Lovers pizza. Neither of them typically ate such heavily topped pies, but tonight was all about indulging. Dorinda expressed concerns about her shop--apologizing for having filled his basement with a bunch of "junk", and Paterson, without hesitation, he agreed to handle her phone bill for the time being. That's what put her into overdraft--forgetting to turn off auto-pay with her carrier.

"Why are you so good to me?" Dorinda asked, staring at Paterson with loving eyes.

His eyebrows lifted and he dabbed his lips with a napkin. "What do you mean?"

"You've done so much for me without hesitation..."

"Well, you've done a lot for _me_ without hesitation, Honey."

"I have?" Dorinda asked.

"Yes, you have."

Paterson wiped his mouth, walked to Dorinda, and knelt at her side. "Don't ever doubt for a second that you don't deserve everything I'm able to give you."

Warmth radiated throughout Dorinda's body and Paterson kissed her knuckles. She ran her fingers through his hair. 

"You take care of me, I take care of you," he added.

Dorinda's lip began to quiver. She leaned down and kissed Paterson on the forehead. 

"I hope my business bounces back," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair again. 

"I hope so, too," Paterson replied. He kissed her fingers again. "But even if it doesn't, I'll still be here. We'll get through this together."


	3. Appreciation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorinda shows Paterson her appreciation...in a few ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Light smut (soft, not too explicit)

Dorinda was in a great mood. She'd nabbed an interview and decided to stay in a good mood until the anticipated Zoom appointment--two more days! A few months before, her grandmother said, "Even if the outcome isn't what you desire, would you have rather spent the wait time in optimism, or pessimism?" Dorinda chose optimism. 

When Paterson left for work, she took Blondie for a nice long walk through the neighborhood. Then, she returned home, took out some chicken breast to thaw, did a little cleaning, and ate a light lunch. She relaxed a little and dug around in her store items for two "Peace" pillar candles--both scented. Then, she started dinner. 

Dorinda had a plan, however. Dinner was going to be simple: grilled chicken breast, green beans, and red potatoes. But first, she'd have a little spread ready for Paterson when he got out of the shower: fruit, chocolate candy (well, M&Ms which were hardly sexy, but still available), and cheese. Then, she was going to show Paterson some "appreciation". The food would be kept warm as she took care of him. She knew that if he ate dinner _before_ getting freaky, he'd sit on the couch and watch TV until the TV was watching him.

She put the finishing touches on dinner and let it rest in the oven at a low temperature. Then, she took a quick shower, put on a silky black nightie that showed off her legs and thighs, and released her curls from the shoelace she used to keep them up in a puff. She tossed on her robe to hide her lingerie and was in the kitchen when Paterson came home. As he showered, she rushed to make a little platter--strawberries, a bowl of blueberries, red apples that quickly turned brown, slices of cheddar cheese, and yes, a small bowl of M&M's. Then, she put a kabob snack in her robe pocket for Blondie and lit two of the candles--one on the coffee table, the other in the bedroom. When Paterson came into the living room, Dorinda was sitting on the sofa with her robe opened, legs crossed, and arms resting on the back of the couch. She tapped the empty space beside her. 

Paterson sat down beside Dorinda. 

"Hi, Honey," she said, finally giving him a "welcome home" kiss.

"Good evening, Doll. What's all this?" 

"Just wanted to show you my appreciation," Dorinda answered, reaching for the tray. She caught Paterson looking at her breasts and smiled. "You can get _those_ later."

He pressed his lips together and smiled. Dorinda held a strawberry to his lips and he took a bite. Of course, Blondie stood up, stretched, and inched closer to them. 

"Almost forgot," she said. Paterson chewed the remainder of the strawberry, then Dorinda stood up. She pulled the dog treat from her pocket and walked to the kitchen with it. Blondie followed her and when Dorinda placed the treat beside her bowl, Blondie pounced on it. She washed her hands, then returned to the living room.

"Why are you showing me appreciation?" Paterson asked. 

Dorinda sat beside him and reached for the bowl of blueberries. She picked one out and placed it at Paterson's lips, and he drew it into his mouth. "Just for being you."

She kissed him on the cheek. "For being so good to me, with all that's going on."

Paterson rubbed her thigh. "Honey, I already told you that--"

Dorinda kissed him on the lips and ran her fingers along his thigh. Then, she pulled away, leaving him looking amusingly dizzy. "Let me do this for you, Sweetie. Okay?"

He smiled again, this time showing his teeth. "Okay."

Dorinda reached inside of Paterson's pajama pants and boxers to pull just one of her many favorite parts of him out. She glanced at the tray. "I guess there was no need for me to put all this out..." she mumbled to herself.

Paterson didn't say a thing. He just admired her face and watched her head dip down. She licked circles around the head of his member, then let saliva drizzle down his shaft--cool at first, then quickly warm--her body temperature. When she began stroking his length with her warm, wet mouth, he closed his eyes and threw his head back. 

"Fuck..." he whispered. Paterson only cursed during sex. Dorinda lifted her eyes and smiled. 

She gave him her all--everything that he needed after a long day's work--until he gave her an appetizer much tangier than the fruit she'd served him. Dorinda swallowed his release and sat up with a smile. 

"You ready for dinner?" she asked sweetly.

"Yeah," he said.

He pushed her down on the sofa, making her squeal and giggle. Then, he held her right knee up, knelt between her legs, and inhaled her sticky scent. Dorinda's eyes immediately rolled back when she felt his soft lips wrap around her stiffening clit.


	4. Hot Biscuits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paterson makes a confession to Dorinda.

_"I've had my share_

_of life's ups and downs,_

_but fate's been kind,_

_the downs have been few._

_I guess you could say that I've been lucky._

_I guess you could say that it's all because of you._

_If anyone should ever write my life's story--_

_for whatever reason, there might be._

_You'd be there between each line of pain and glory,_

_'Cause you're the best the thing that ever happened to me..."_

Petrichor, industry, cinnamon, and bread filled Dorinda's nostrils. Every time it rained, she lit a candle, opened the kitchen window, and turned on the oldies station. Many Saturdays in her youth were spent either with her parents or her grandparents. No matter which home she woke up in, R&B would be blasting from speakers and everyone would be cleaning. As the years flew by, what was current or less than ten years old slowly became "oldies". But today, she was in the mood for the music her grandparents loved. 

Blondie was stretched across the living room floor catching up on her barely-needed sleep. Just as Dorinda turned off the oven, the kettle whistled. Blondie's ears lifted. Dorinda pulled the kettle off the burner, then she pulled back the squeaky oven door. Suddenly, Blondie was suddenly closer--her chin resting on the carpet transition strip. 

"You can't have any biscuits, Little One," Dorinda said. With a pair of oven mitts, she pulled a cast-iron skillet filled with hot buttermilk biscuits and placed it on the counter. Then, she grabbed the kettle and poured water into two mugs that patiently awaited her attention. Green tea with honey--on for her, one for Paterson. She rubbed sweetened butter on the top of each biscuit, carefully grabbed two, and placed them on a small blue plate.

She maneuvered around Blondie and carried the dishes down to the basement, where Paterson sat at his desk.

"Hey, Sweetie," she said. 

Paterson smiled at Dorinda and took a whiff of the air. 

"I made you a little something to hold you until dinner."

Dorinda placed the mug and plate on his desk, but far away from his notebook. 

"Thank you, Honey," he said. He wrapped his arm around her waist. "What's for dinner?"

"Grilled salmon, mashed potatoes, and green beans--how does that sound?" Dorinda asked.

Paterson hummed and pulled her closer. "Sounds delicious."

Dorinda chuckled at how easy it was to make Paterson's mouth water. She rubbed his shoulder and glanced at his notebook, then back at him--careful not to pry. 

"Is it flowing easily today?"

"Mmm. Fairly," he said, the grip on Dorinda's waist still sturdy.

"Maybe all of this will help," he added, pointing to the biscuits and tea.

Dorinda took her turn to hum.

"Hmph," she said with a grunt. She rubbed Paterson's hair. "Well, I'll leave you to it."

She wiggled out of Paterson's grip but he grabbed her hand. Her eyebrows raised, curious about his anxious delay. 

"You look beautiful today," he said. Dorinda smiled. "You look beautiful every day, but you're glowing today."

"I hope you haven't gotten me pregnant," she joked.

Paterson laughed and rubbed her arm. Then, he kissed her hand and stared into her eyes--his chin resting on her hand. Dorinda looked at him with furrowed brows and ran her fingers through his hair.

"What's wrong, Baby?"

Paterson inhaled, then exhaled--the air on his nostrils touching her skin.

"Nothing. Just..." he sat up and rubbed his thumb along her knuckles. "I love you."

Dorinda's jaw dropped for just a second, then she smiled and kissed Paterson on the lips. "I love you, too."

He smiled at her matching confession and leaned in for another peck on the lips. The peck deepened, warm and passionate, then they pulled apart--both of them keeping their eyes closed to let the magic surround them. Suddenly, Paterson chuckled.

"Now, I'm _definitely_ going to have a hard time focusing," he said.

Dorinda laughed and welcomed herself to his lap. Their lips touched once more and Paterson's fingers fell to her thick waist. In a normal setting, the tea and biscuits would have begun to cool--but Dorinda and Paterson were certain to keep everything in that room hot. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Referenced music: "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" - Gladys Knight and the Pips rendition (1974). Lyrics by Jim Weatherly.


	5. The Big Sale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorinda makes an unusual online sale.

Dorinda was wide awake, staring at the ceiling. Frozen. Angry. Dejected. Another job rejection. Another message to inform her that there were people more "qualified" than she, and with more experience. How would she gain more experience if everyone kept telling her "no"? And what kind of dickhead hiring manager sends rejection emails on a Friday evening?

Paterson woke up as he always did. Never gradually. The alarm in his brain would go off and he'd just open his eyes. He looked over at Dorinda, and she glanced at him. 

"Good morning," he said. He slid close, placed his hand against the back of her skull--silk material separating his palm from her fluffy twists--and kissed her on the forehead. 

"How long have you been awake?" he asked. 

"Not long," Dorinda lied. 

Paterson didn't let go of Dorinda. His eyes closed again. She breathed in his scent--soap from the night before mixed with his natural scent--something like rain, or fresh lake water. 

"What do you want for breakfast?" she asked. 

He hummed and opened his eyes. "I can fix myself a bowl of cereal."

"Just cereal?"

"Just cereal," he answered. He sat up and pulled the covers back. "What would _you_ like?"

"I may fix myself a bowl of oatmeal," Dorinda answered, stretching.

"I'll fix it for you."

Paterson kissed Dorinda on the forehead once more, then he peeled himself out of the bed. Just as he'd stepped out of the room, Dorinda's phone chimed. It was an email notification. 

"Anybody else want to tell me that I suck?" she asked herself.

She reached for the phone, keyed in her password, and read the notification from PayBuddy: **"You've made a sale!"**

That was reassuring.

She clicked the notification to open the message completely. Someone named D. Watkins in Louisville, Kentucky had purchased... **$245.36** worth of items from Libra Moon Online.

Dorinda sat up and rubbed her eyes. She read it again. **$245.36**.

"What the fuck?" she mumbled. She browsed through their shopping cart--they'd purchased five Zodiac bundles (boxes of stones, candles, and soap for each astrological sign) two tarot decks, and a couple of unscented pillar candles. Dorinda squealed, hopped out of bed, and ran into the kitchen, where Paterson was putting a pot of water on the stove. Blondie sat with her chin on the transition strip, and Dorinda sat down with her.

"I just made a $200 sale!" she said to both Blondie and Paterson, scratching Blondie's ears.

Paterson looked over his shoulder and smiled. "That's great, Honey."

"I mean, I know it's really not that much, but I haven't had someone buy that much from the website in a _long_ time. Even when the store was opened that was rare."

Paterson walked over, joined Dorinda on the floor, and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm happy for you, Honey."

Blondie flipped over on her back, exposing her belly to Paterson and Dorinda. She gave the dog a belly rub.

"How about this?" Paterson asked. He grunted as he pulled himself from the floor. Then, he walked to the stove and turned the burner off. "Let's go out for breakfast. What do you say?"

Dorinda smiled and nodded. "Sounds good to me. But I thought you only wanted cereal."

"I can manage a little more, I suppose. But the CEO of Libra Moon deserves something special. With one of those, _mimosas_?"

Dorinda laughed and stood up. "Yes, mimosas."

Paterson returned to his space beside Dorinda and wrapped his arms around her waist. She held his face and kissed him. "I'll pay for breakfast."

"No, no," Paterson said. He gave her another peck on the lips. " _I'll_ pay."

"Okaaay," Dorinda said, playfully rolling her eyes. She wrapped her arms around Paterson's neck. " _I_ pay and you take me to my storage to grab a few items?"

"Hmm...That's a deal."

Dorinda brushed a strand of Paterson's hair back, and gave him another kiss.


End file.
